I get that rich guy space tourism experiments are probably a sports-car-mid-life crisis for the billionaire class. But honestly I love them for it anyway. Space tourism is a beautiful and important idea.
One of the striking things about space exploration is that the most beautiful sight we find out there is our own planet. We gain the most by looking back down on ourselves.
It's hard to talk about without getting all Hallmarks card, but the thing they see is that we are all one, on one planet: a place where borders and cultural differences suddenly seem so much smaller and inconsequential than they are down here.
The idea that more of the human race would get to experience that seems to me an uncontroversial good.
And yes, it would only be the rich at first - that's always the way - but later on it could be something which is as generally affordable as a holiday now.
If the price we have to pay for that is some kind of orbital phallic insecurity art project, then it seems a small one to pay.
There's more on the Overview Effect here. Honestly even reading about it is very affecting.
https://twitter.com/joz_freeman/status/1417452449040904192
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